Illuminating device



May 2, 1939- w. B. scHuLTE 2,156,462

ILLUMINATING DEVI CE Filed Auge, 19:56 2 sheets-sheet 1 May 2, 1939. w4 B/scHuLTE 2,156,462 l ILLUMINATING'DEVICE Filed Aug. 8, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet2 Patented vMay 1939 PArsNr; orrics 2,156,462 moralismo nevica Walter B. Schulte,

mcsne ents, tion, Freeport, Ill.,

, Wis. asseoor. by

Madison to Micro Switch Corporaa corporation of Illinois Application August 8,. 1936, Serial No.. 54,89%,

6 Claims.

This invention relates to an illuminating device-for enclosures, having doors, in which the device is adapted to be rendered operative and inoperative' automatically upon the opening and closing of the door respectively. It is particularly adapted for use in refrigerators but it is not restricted to this use and may be usedin anyv enclosures such as clothes chests, closets, etc., in which it is desired 10 to illuminate the interior upon the opening of the door or other closure.

It is the object of the invention to provide an improvedself-contained Eliminating device of the character mentioned which has the following advantages: does not require an external source of energy since it .may be operated by dry cells, occupies unused or seldom'used space may be turned olI while the door is open and remains oif'until turned on again manually, maybe placed at substantially any desired position within a refrigerator interior and illuminates terior thereof, and, replacement of cells may be carried out without disturbing the device.

theinventlon provides a dry cell operated electric illummatng device which is adapted especially to he supported in substantially any desired posltionupon the shelves of a refrigerator and which has an operating ber projecting therefrom which is adapted to be engaged by -thedoor of the refrigerator and operated by the opening and closing of the door in such'a manner as .to turn the lamp on and on respectively. The lamp is arranged adiacent an end of the device in such.- a manner that the illumination therefrom is substantially unrestricted in' all directionsv except directly toward the front of the refrigerator. The device is small and may be fastened beneath the supporting 40 shelf. The switeh'is provided with. a locking mechanism in the oit position so that the device may be rendered inoperative when it is desired to do so.

In the drawlngin; Y Fig.. 1 is a perspective view of a portion of a refrigerator showing the illuminating device of this inventionmounted therein;

Fig. 2 is a bottom view of the illuminating device with the cover thereof removed;

' Fig. 3 is a sectional view along lined-3 of Fig. 2;* v

1E-lgs 4 and'5 are fractional sectional views along lines 6 4 and 5;-5 of FigjZ; l 6 is a sectional view ralong line E--Eof and particularly enclosuressubstantially the entire in (Cl. 2MP-4)? v Fig. 2*' with the operating mechanism in e inoperative position;

Fig. 'l' a view to Fig. 6 with the operating mech fr in the operative position;L

Fig. is a.' fractional sectional view along line 5 8 8. of 6; A

9/ is a. fractional sectional view along line 9 9 of Fig. 'lg Fig. lll is-ay sectional view along line .lue-ld of Figs. 2 and 7, and

ll is a perspective view oi a clamping member 'for the device. Y In Fig. la re erator is represented at lll having the usual metal rod shelf members il and door l2. The illuminating device i3 of V15 invention usually is mounted upon the under side of the top-most. shelf as shown though it may he mounted on any "shelf as desired. It is clamped in place by means of clamping plate M, (see also Fig. lli which is fastened in spaced 20 relation' to the top side of the device i3 and clamps over .the rods l'l oi the A. reciprocating plonger-type operating member l5 projects exteriorly from the iront ci the device i3 and is adapted to be moved 4into theoperative 25 and the inoperative positions by the opening and the closing oi door l2 respectively. The lamp i6 'projects from-the rear of the device and is adapted to illte the entire interior of the refrigerator while at the same tnne being 30 shielded from the eyes of the user. As shown in Fig. Ail. the corner sections l1! of the clamping plate M are se ted from the rest of the plate hy means or slits le and are bent downwardly whereby they exert spring pressure upon the rods 35 The device may be ymounts-ici inthe refrigerator in any desired position which the opf memher l5 s located so that it is operated properlyby the opening and closing of the door. It may be mounted upon the upper side 40 oi the shelf, Aliutit is preferred to mount it on the under side because there it does not occupy any usable space upon the upper side ofthe shelf to which it is attached, and since it is rather narrow ilat, the articles upon the shelf be 45 neath may be arranged in such a manner that the capacity of the shelf 4is not decreased by the presence of the device. .I

As shown in Fig. lil the device i3 comprises an open-sided casing 23 having a removable 5G bottom cover 2t which is adapted to be received in clamping engagement hy the casing. The casing is of a width adapted to receive two dry cells 25 and 2.6 of the ordinary flashlight type in side-by-side relation. The casing 23 has an 65 interior wall member 21 which is shaped so as to conform more or less with the circular shape of the dry cells and which has downwardly projecting portions 28 and 29 located in the middle 5 thereof. The shaped wall member 21 is adapted to hold the dry cells apart and hold them against excessive lateral movement, which movement might otherwise cause disengagement of the dry cell terminals with the cooperating terminals mounted upon the interior of the casing and which will be described hereinafter.

Terminals in the formof spring contacts 30,

3l, 32 and 33, shown in Fig. 2, are mounted nteriorly upon the end walls of the casing, these contacts being arranged in opposed relation in pairs, contacts 30 and 33 comprising one pair and contacts 3l and 92 the other. Dry cell 25 is located between one pair of contacts and dry cell 29 between the other. These contacts are formed of spring metal and are bent in the form of a U and arepressedwith spring pressure against the cooperating terminals of the drycells. Contact 33 is mounted directly upon the casing wall b'y means of a rivet 35 as shown in Fig. 3, the

balance of the terminals being insulated from the casing. A mounting for such an insulated terminal is illustrated by the mounting of contact 39 inv Fig. 3. A sheet of insulating material 35 is arranged between the contact and the interior surface of the casing wall. A relatively large opening is provided in the material of the contact and a collared insulating washer 36 is located in this opening, the whole being held in place by means of washer 31 and rivet 38 which passes 35 through the casing wall, the insulating washer 39 and the washer 31. It is obvious that when the cover 24 is removed fromthe casing .the dry cells may be removed and inserted laterally through the open casing side and between the 40 spring contacts.

the circuit of the' lighting device of this invention the usual wire conductors are dis.- pensed with and in order to furnish the necessary connection each of the spring` contacts described heretofore has a portion or arm projecting sidewise toward a similar portion or. arm upon the adjacent contact. This is illustrated in Fig. 2 where contacts 30, 3l, 32 and 33 are shown to have arms 59, 5 l d2 and 93 respectively. Arms l0 and il extend toward each other and are normally out cf contact with each other but are adapted to be moved into mutual contact to act as a switch for the device, as will be explained hereinafter. Arm 53 carries the socket 55 for the incandescent lamp of the device, as will be described in detail hereinafter, and arm 52 normally engages the end terminal i5 ofthe lamp liti. For the mounting of lamp lli upon arm 93 reference is made to Figs. 6 and 7 where the lamp.

sociret 5S is shown swaged at its base end to arm The operating member l5 is adapted to effect the engagement between arms @El and lil and when this occurs the illuminating device is ren-V dered op-erative. The circuit is as follows: Startacetate and is mounted frictionally upon a collar 5I which, in turn, is mounted by means of a press lit in an opening rin the end ofthe casing 23. The globe diffuses the light and protects the bulb. In addition, should the bulb become broken, the globe prevents the fragments from dropping 5 into the food in the refrigerator or into clothes in a chest. As stated heretofore, the devicel is operated by means of reciprocating plunger l5 which is adapted to cause the engagement and disengage- 10 ment between conducting arms d0 and 4l to close and open the circuit respectively. Plunger l5 is ametallic rod which is held in reciprocable manner in two aligned openings in the front and rear walls of the casing. The central portion 55 l5 of the interior wall member 21 extends substantially straight across the casing from one side to the other but the end portions 28 and 29 project downwardly and partially encircle rod l5 as shown in connection with portion 28 in 20 Fig. 10. The rod can reciprocate freely within these members. A longitudinal slot 56 is formed in central portion 55, this slot having an oiset extension 51 at one end thereof to form what is usually called a bayonet slot and providing a 25 ledge or projection 58 which will be discussed further hereinafter. The slot is shown clearly in Figs. 8 and 9` A cam 59 is mounted rigidly upon rod l5 in the approximate middle portion thereof, this cam 30 having a lateral extension 50. A bell crank lever 6l of electrical insulating material is mounted pivotally on rod 62 in member 28 and has upper arm 1| thereofin cooperative relation with'cam 59 and lower arm 12 in cooperative relation with 35 arm d0 of the switch of the device. l A washer 53 surrounds rod l5 and rests against the forward edges of member 29 and a helical wire spring 65 is fitted over rod l5 and is held under pressure between washer 63 and the rearward surface of 40 cam 59. The ends of spring 64 are locked against turning movementrelative to wall member 21 and cam 59 respectively by `means which are shown in Figs. 4 and 5. In Fig. 4 the rearward end 65 of spring 65 is shown as being substantially 4,5 straight and extending laterally so as to engage the interior surface of member 21. The forward end portion 6B of spring 5G is shown as extending laterally from rod l5 and encircling the extension SI1 of cam 59. The spring is mounted in a 50 twisted condition such that a rotary force is constantly exerted upon cam 59, urging projection 60 toward the side of slot 55 opposite tov slot extension 5l. A relatively soft bumper member 19 is fitted over the forward end of rod l5 55 for the purpose of preventing wear upon the cooperating surface of door l2. This member may be composed of rubber or other relatively soft material,

In operation, when the door of the refrigerator so is in the closed position, as'shown in Fig. 6, rod l5 is maintained in its rearward position byv door l2 against the compression of spring 5E. The clamping member ld engages the rods of the refrigerator shelf with sufficient pressure t prem .as vent movement of the device as a whole under the pressure exerted by spring 5t. In this position arm 1l of bell crank lever 5l isl not engaged by cam 59 and arm 12 of leverv 5l is in its rearward position, allowing switch arm dll' of ter 7a minal 391:0 remain in its rearward position out of contact with switch arm lll. In this position the circuit is open and the lamp is not lighted.

'In thisposition cam extension 65 is located slightly to the rear of ledge 59. When the rea 'ya be done by -wise manually moving rod I5 rearwardly sufextension 51,

f shielded from the eyes of the user.

frigerator door I2 is` opened free of contact with plunger I5 spring 6I causes rod I5. to move forwardly until the position shown in Fig. 7 is reached, in which position cam 59 moves arm 1I of lever 6I downwardly, which in turn, causes arm 12 to move conducting arm III into engagement with conducting arm 4I to close thereby the circuit and render the device operative.

When it is desired to look the device in the inoperative position, the energy of the cells when the refrigerator is allowed to remain open fora considerable period of time for the airing orcleaning thereof, rod I5 is moved rearwardly manually and given a twist to the right `whereby extension cam 60 enters the lateral slot extension 51. Rod I5 is then allowed to move forwardly until cam extension 6U engages ledge 58 and is released. The rod is thereby locked in an inoperative position andwill remain there indenitely unless released as will be described. Ledge 58 may be formed at an angle as shown to insure that the rotary bias exerted upon cam extension 60 does not cause it to move out of the slot extension.

When it is desired to render the device operative again after being locked in position this may closing the refrigerator door or otherciently to cause disengagement between cam extension 60 and ledge 68. Upon such disengagement the rotary bias of spring 64 causes rotation of the cam extension to the left and out of slot When rod I5 is again allowed to move forwardly it may do so freely since cam extension 60 is free to move longitudinally in slot 5 6. This turning of rod I5 is accomplished automatically by :spring '6I by the disengagement of cam extension 60 from ledge 58. When cam extension 60 is turned into slot extension .51 the twisting pressure exerted uponspring 64 is increased and this assists in effecting the subsequent movement of cam extension 60 out of the slot extension.

It is apparent from the above description that the invention provides an illuminating device for the 'interior of refrigerators and the like which -may be placed in any convenient location within the refrigerator interior and does not occupyany useful space therein. Illumination is provided for substantially the entire interior of the compartment but the The Aelectric lamp bulb is shielded against 'accidental breakage by contact with objects stored in the refrigerator by means of globe 5I)A which alsov softens and spreads the light more uniformly throughout the refrigerator interior, The device is operated by the mere opening and closing of the refrigerator door and this is all that is necessary even after the device has been locked in the inoperative po'sition.- The devicei's simple, comprising a minimum number of parts and-is economical to manufacture. The dry cells are readily replaceable when they become exhausted and this may be done while the device remains in its position.

The terms forward and rearward and similar terms are used herein in a relative'sense for the purpose of simplifying the description and are not intended as limitations as is evident. Although only one modification of the device is described and illustrated it is understood that the invention is not limited thereto but is limited only in accordance with the scope of the appended claims.

f I claim:

as is desirable to conserve' direct light is, nevertheless,l

connection with said lamp der said lamp operative and inoperativ said 1. An illuminating device for refrigerators and the like having shelves comprising spaced apart elongated members, comprising a casing, an 1ncandescent lamp mounted exteriorly upon said casing, a battery, electrical conductors and switching means in said casing and in electrical connection with said lamp, said switching means comprising a reciprocating plunger in said casing and having an end thereof'projecting exteriorly of said casing, spring means for constantly urg-Y ing said plunger `to the operative position thereof, and means for clamping said casing to the shelf members of said refrigerator comprising a member of spring material attached exteriorly and in spaced relation to aside of said casing, the spacing between said casing side and said member being such that said refrigerator shelf members are held therebetween under pressure.

2. An illuminating device for refrigerators 'and the like comprising a casing, means for clamping said casing to a shelf of said refrigerator, an incandescent lamp mounted exteriorly upon said casing, a battery, electrical conductors and switching means in said casing and in electrical connection with said lamp and adapted to render said lamp operative and inoperative,` said switching means comprising a reciprocating plunger in said casing and having an end'thereof projecting exteriorly of said casing, spring means for constantly urging saidy plunger toward. the

operative position thereof, said reciprocating plunger being also rotatable, and means including a shoulder on said plunger oil! -the center of rotation thereof and a co-operating abutment on said casing, adapting said plunger to be rotated into a locked position. f

3. An illuminating device for refrigerators and the like comprising a casing, means .for clamping said casing to a shelf of said refrigerator, an incandescent lamp mounted exteriorly upon said casing, a battery, electrical conductors and switching means in said casing and in electrical connection with said-lamp and adapted to render said lamp operative and inoperative, said switching means comprising a reciprocating plunger in said casing and having an end thereof projecting exteriorly of said casing, said reciprocating plunger being rotatable, means operable to lock said plunger against movement in at least one longitudinaldirection, when said plunger is rotated simultaneously urging` said plunger out of said locked position and toward the operative position thereof.

4. An illuminating device for refrigerators ,and

the like'comprislng a casing, means for clamping said ycasing to a shelf of said refrigerator, an'incandescent lamp mounted exteriorly upon said casing,` a battery, electrical conductors and switching means in said casing and in electrical and adapted to renswitching means comprising a reciprocating plunger in said casing and having an end thereof projecting exteriorly of said casing, lateral projections on said casing -and said plunger, said plunger in the inoperative position being rotatable to bring said projections into mutual engagement to lock said plunger insaid inoperative position,

and spring means simultaneously urging -said plunger toward the operative position thereof and causing a-rotary bias on said plunger urging said projection on said plunger out of engagement with said projection on said casing.

5. An illuminating device for refrigerators and to a rotation of said plunger into a locked rotated position thereof, to lock said plunger against longitudinal movement toward the position in which it renders said lamp operative.

6. A unitary illuminating device for refrigerators and the like, comprising a casing, an incandescent lamp, a battery, switching .means for controlling the operation of said lamp,`electrical conductors for connecting said battery lamp, and switching means, means for supporting said illuminating device in a refrigerator, said switching means including a movable actuating member thereof urged toward the door -of said refrigerator and adapted' to be engaged and actuated thereby, said movable actuating member being also operable manually, and manually operable means for locking said switch in one operated position thereof, said locking means ,including a member biased outof locking position but arranged to be held in said locking position by the force that urges said actuator towards said door and arranged also to be released from said locking position by motion of said actuator resulting from said door strilzing said actuator, whereby said locking meansv operates inresponse to the normal actuation of said actuating member by said' WALTER B. SCHULTE. 

